Preview: Badger and Broncos to jockey for playoff position in high-stakes matchup

A top-4 Western Junior College Athletic Conference matchup awaits the AC baseball team for the fifth week of conference play.

The Badgers (15-20, 8-8) return to Roswell, New Mexico, this weekend for a pivotal Western Junior College Athletic Conference series against New Mexico Military Institute (28-8, 12-4).

AC is tied for fourth place in the WJCAC standings while NMMI sits in second place through 16 WJCAC games.

A season ago, the Badgers gave up a home series to NMMI due to a lack of available local facilities, and despite the disadvantage, AC went on to beat the Broncos 3-1.

AC has a 7-5 lead in the all-time series with a 1-3 defeat in 2024 and a 3-1 victory in 2023.

AC enters the matchup having won seven of its past eight outings, while NMMI is 6-2 over the same period.

On paper, the matchup features one of the top pitching staffs in the country vs. one of the top offensive units.

The Broncos have the fourth-highest slugging percentage (.733) and are tied for the fourth-best batting average (.390) at the NJCAA D-I level. AC has the sixth-highest strikeouts-per-nine-innings rate (11.35). 

The series will be streamed live on the AWRE TV at www.awre.tv/channel/t195787